Adjustable supporting means for turbines.



No. 330,393.. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1303. 4

J. WILKINSON.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TURBINES. APPLIOATIQN FILED AY 29. 1905.

z SHEETS SHEET 1 {I I g? a a A /6 Z B0 7/ A TTOHNEY No. 880398. 1 PATENTED-SEPT.4, 1906.

J. WILKINSON, ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR TURBINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1905. I

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

. WITNESSES:

INVENTOH W Q A 0 are held in place by said casing and serve to partmentsl blotor-fluidprkessnre is supplied construction illustrated-on Sheet 1 upon in- "cllned" supports. l il which are connected to through the succeeding stages, which have wheel is. disposed in eac ,stage-compartment mum the leakage of pressure around "the shaft between stages. "such asboilensteam, be admitted to the tur- 'bine whose parts when cold assume the rcla- 'tive position shown in. Fig. 2, theincrease in will cause them to expand and will-increase compensating movement corresponding with divide the turbine into stages or wheel-con to the initial stage thron a port 3 and lows communicating nozzles 41, to an eXhaust port 5. ,The several diaphra'gms are provided with circular openings .6 vattheir centers, throu hwhich the turbine-shaft "7 passes, this s' alt projecting beyond the'supply and exhaust heads of the turbine and being suitably supported in bearings 8. These bearings are mounted u on pedestals 9, which in, turn rest upon the iiedlate 10, A bucketofthe turbine and connected to the shat't 7 between the diaphragm-partitions. Buckets carried by. these wheels cooperate with the nozzles 4; and act to drive the turbine in the usual manner-L 1t"wil-l fbenotejd: that the opening G-in'the, d-iaphraginleaves but a ver small clearance between the shaft and diap agrn, this being agprefer'red'construction to reduce to a mini- If motor-fluid j" pressure,

temperature in thelc'asing and diaphragm their dimensions radially. [If the casin be sup orted rig'idlyat its'lower end, it wi 1 be 'evi' cut that this expansion of the diaphragms will tendto raise the lower periphery ofthe opening 6 into contact with the,

i'the range ol'its movements, due to the swing shaft 7, sincethe .latterz'will not change its position, due-to the fact that its supporting-ped estals ale-unaflectedlbylthe heat and have no the vertical expansion. of' the diaphragnis. In other words, this would raise the opening in the diaphragm until the latter by contact with the shaft might 'cause serious injury to the machine. To avoid these objections and to maintain the relative adjustment of parts, I mount the casing in accordance with the each side of the casing ata point slightly below the shaft-opening in the diaphragm. These supports are preferably formed in the shape o'fa square frame, having an upper crossepiece 12, which extends the axial length of the erasing and is provided with a shoulder .13, which interlocks with a flanged shoulder 14 along the side of the shell. 'lhe leg-sup ports 11 for each-pedestal are inclined inwardly at an angle to the bed-frame, to which the bottomcross-pieCe 1-5 of the pedestal is suitably connected by bolts 16. Bolts 17 connect the cross-pieces 12 to the casing.- lhe only point of contact between the sup-' portbig-pedestals and the casing is at the shoulder 13, the other portions of the pedes tals will not be ailected by the heat of the casing. The pedestals on each side of the. turbine are similar in construction and con'-" nccted at opposite points on the casing.

In operation as the turbine becomes heated the expansion of the shell and diaphragm along the line a, Fig. 2, will spring'the pedes tals outwardly around the-arcs indicated by the curved dotted lines?) and Z2 This move ment of the pedestals. will cause aljowering oi the casing suflieient to compensate the tendency of the expansion ofthe' stationary case ing and diapln'ag nto'move the shaft-opening 6 upwardly and the'diaphraginiinto en- Q ragenient w th the shaft. In other words, re-,1 'erring to F 15g. 3, the. expansion ofthe line a will cause this line to be loweredto the posie tion shown in the dotted line a,fand the extent of this-lowering of the line will correspond with the increase in the dimensions of the di aphragm between the line a and the 's'haft open-ing due to expansion, as indicated by the lines 0 and 0. Thus, as will be seen from Fig. 3, as the stationary parts of the matically and in correspondence with the tendency of its expansion to niove it into engagement with the shaft, and in a properly constructed machine the opening in the diaphragm will remain concentric 'with the shaft. g

1 provide thecasing'with means to limit of its supports, and also to prevent anytlat eral movement of the turbine-"which might arise if one support shouldspring or bend more easily than the other, A"pai'r of T-. sha )ed lugs-l9, formed integral wither-detac ablyconnected'to the casing, are inserted into openings in'a portion 21 'of the base-frame; By shifting the "casinglendwise the shanks 22 of the lugs enter the reduced portions of the openings 20,.so that the heads of the lugs engage the base. The bed-frame is cut away from around the portion 21' to-prevent the heat conducted to it through the lugs i'roinjexpandmg the bed-frame. ,8 The clearances between the base-frame .turbine expand the pedestals spring out- 'wnrdly and the diaphragm is lowered autoand the casing on one side and the heads 23 of the lugs on the other side rnay'bfe so adjusted that the former, which is indicated at '24, will be open, when the turbine is cold, 'to

an extent equal to the distance the casing and diaphragrns will expand in a radial line. After this expansion has. taken place the clearance 24 will be closed and the clearance indicated at 25 correspondingly opened. The

lugs thus act to prevent an excess of easing movement, and, 1f desired' this excess movement maybe taken advantageof to give the supports a slight initial tension either way.

p on each side with opposite ;27, upon which restlthe an feet 28,- connected to the turbine-casing,

' through el n a ed openings 3 li I will e tident-that wer 2casing exp 1 iing,'and asthey clinesby the contraction of the casingrth radial expansion of the clined surfacesis indi a; ro'ectio'n'ofa sloin s .upon' the surfaces '27.

a guide-plate 32 whic h projects a guide or formed inte fitsclo'sely int v line, the plate .32

foundation. I p 11; a Theswingingor sliding supports may be of .=anyd m a diflerent manner with thespirit of my invention. Y

fcomprising stati .i supporting-means for said .ture changes in the zontalztypefa shaft supports for the casing a tpina'tically coact with casing exp expansion of the diaphragm to be'provided construction sho and protectby Letters P I 1. The combination with a rotary motor Thecombinatioli with a rotary motor The automatic adjusting-supports the l turbine (illustrated on the second sheet of drawings) comprise abase-plate 26,provided' ly-sloping surface's gulai'ly-di-sposed Bolts 29 secure the ieettothe -base,-. )assing O in thef eet and through openings 31 in the surfaces 27. The openings30 are elongated- S0 that the feet'2 8;v ca'n'slide on the'bearirigesurfaces 27 asthe:

I ands or contractslaloilgthe dotted ands the feet Willi-slide down the inclined surfaces 27, thus lowering the casare drawn back up"'.the, i n-.

latter will be raised; The extent are casing and the req site-amount of travel of the feet 28.011 the incated 'irix-the dotted 5, Where the difier I e represents the. radial mes to "the right of Fi enceinthelincs e and for- ,and -the distance bet Ween the :interseeg t1ons of thesehnes, and a line b, representing urface 27 givestlief requisite extent of movement of the'ieet 2 8 To guide the turbineand preserve its vertical alinenient, I provide having an opening-33, into; -lug 34', connected to the casing. "l his.'lugv ening'33, and thus limits e casing to a true vertical being securely bolted tothe qral with lie 0 the movem'ent'of 't esired'construction and maybe attached at different points of the turbine casing and ut departing from g myself to the details of wn, what I desire-to claim atent is}? Without limitin Qnary and rotatable parts,.*of parts, the supportparts being-adapted responsive to temperamotor to'maintai-n said stationaryandrotatable parts concentric: 2.; In an elastic-fluid turbine of the hori- ,a casing, separatesupportingme'ans for said shaft 'and'casing said being adapted to auits changes in'dimenslon and lmaintain its geometrieeenterunhanged undervarying temperature condi mg means for one of said to act automatically;

comprising stationary and rotating parts; of separate supporting means for saidparts disposed soasto be substantially unafl'ectedb'y the changes in temperature of sai (1 parts one.

tain them in relative other p ditions.

said rotating parts] :having' static pose and a shaft, 0

of .said supporting means being adapted to coact-with the jchanges in dimension of the partssupported thereby, due to their expan- S1011 0r contraction,- to automatieallymainadjustment with the l The combination- With 8. rotary motor artsunder different temperature conf comprising stationary and rotating parts, of

a base-plate, and supp'orting devices for said stationary partsconnected to said plate-and capable of movement relatiyetheretql said, Iv movement being effected'by-the expansioirorcontraction of said stationary parts for ad- I t j siting them automatically with relationfto The combination "with a rotary mot or comprising-inclinedmembers are dis posed onjopposite-sides ofthe motor and actwith a rotary motor havi'ng stationary and rotating parts, of a the expansion of the stationary v aise or llower the latter, and guide pa t to T event the I stationary parts shift- 7 The e nary and rotatingparts; of a supportinganeans for" the stationary part ed 11116 by the expansion of the stationary parts to raiseor. lower thelatter, and means to limit the vertical movementof said station ary parts; '-{5'8. In an elast casing, diaphragms having shaftopenings,

side of said casingand ada or contractedby changes in said casing to raise or lower it and maintain said' shafeope nings in the diaphragmssubstantially concentric with said'shaft. 1

pte'd to be spread -9. Incombination, an elastic fiuid turbine H bination witha rotary motor comprising inclined members which are dis- Y d .1' 1 opposite sides of the motor and act,

ic-fiuid turbine comprising a I f supports connected-to each i the dimensions of comprising. stationaryand rotatable part s, v

said stationary :parts; comprising a casing, and inclined yieldable supporting members connected' to said casing onlyon opposite sides thereof-f i d'acted upon-bythe changes in thedimensions ef the casing to shift its po-.- sition; for the purposesdescribed.

10. A supporting means for an elastic-fluid turbine comprising inclined legs between which the turbine'is suspended, said legs hav ing a single point of connection to the tur bias on opposite sides thereof and at other points being disposed out of contact with the turbine.

11-. In combination with. a turbine, supporting means therefor between; which the v turbine'is disposed, said means being connected .to the turbine on opposite sides and i s read apart by its expansion, and a guide to hrnit the 'resultant'movements of the turbine to a straight line between its supporting I means.

12.1 A supporting means for a turbine comprising a bed-plate, supporting members thereon a casing for the turbine to opposite sides of which said members are connected turbine having a casing, and shoulders on opl 'POSliBQ sides of said, casing, of pedestals on I each-side of the turbine for supporting iiij which pedestals are connected to said shoula .ders anddisposed out of contact with the cas- I ing, of supporting-frames on each side of the turbine,'sa1d frames being'provided with an upper shouldered member which interlocks with a shoulder-on each side of said casing i and having inwardly-inclined legs which are adapted to be bent by the changes in the dimensions ofsai'd casiiigQSa'idl legs being disposed out of eon-tact with said casing, and a main sup orting member for said legs.

In test mony whereof I have hereunto set my handin presence of two subscribing witnesses'.- v a 3 y 1-1 {L 1 'JAMES.WILKINSON;

Witnesses; a a

' SETH "G1 JAMESON: v

J. Dnvnnrs'n; 

